Journal of Nutrition最新文献

Background: Low vitamin D status (circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration <50 nmol/L) is prevalent in Australia, and 95% of Australians have been estimated to have low vitamin D intake (mean range 1.8-3.2 μg/d). Increasing the dietary supply of vitamin D could improve vitamin D status across the population.

Objectives: We modeled 4 vitamin D fortification scenarios to support useful and safe fortification strategies for Australia.

Methods: We used cross-sectional food consumption data from the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 12,153 aged 2-85 y) and analytical food composition data. Scenario 1 modeled the systematic addition of the maximum permitted amount of vitamin D to all foods for which vitamin D fortification is mandated (edible oil spreads) or optional (dairy products/plant-based alternatives, formulated beverages, permitted ready-to-eat breakfast cereals). Scenarios 2-4 modeled the addition of vitamin D to edible oil spreads and fluid milk/alternatives at higher concentrations than permitted and the addition of the maximum permitted amount to scenario 2, dairy products/alternatives other than fluid milk, formulated beverages; scenario 3: scenario 2 plus eligible ready-to-eat breakfast cereals; scenario 4: scenario 3 plus bread (not permitted for vitamin D fortification in Australia). We used the National Cancer Institute method to model the usual intake of vitamin D for each scenario by sex and age group. Dietary adequacy and safety were assessed using the North American Estimated Average Requirement (10 μg/d) and the Australian upper level of intake (80 μg/d).

Results: Under scenarios 1-4, respectively, the projected proportion of Australians with vitamin D intake <10 μg/d was 80%, 84%, 73%, and 60%. No participant exceeded the upper level of intake under any scenario.

Conclusions: A systematic fortification strategy could support a nutritionally meaningful improvement in vitamin D intake across the Australian population. An optimal strategy would require amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Background: Modern dietary trends have led to an increase in foods that are relatively high in n-6 PUFAs and low in n-3 PUFAs. We previously reported that the offspring of mother mice that consumed a diet high in n-6 linoleic acid (LA) and low in n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA), hereinafter called the LA^high/ALA^low diet, exhibited behavioral abnormalities related to anxiety and feeding.

Objectives: We currently lack a comprehensive overview of the behavioral abnormalities in these offspring, which was investigated in this study.

Methods: C57BL/6J virgin female mice at 11 wk of age were fed either a control diet or the LA^high/ALA^low diet, mated at 13 wk of age, and maintained on their respective diet throughout gestation. At birth, the lactating mothers' diet was replaced with standard laboratory feed pellets. After weaning, the offspring continued to receive standard laboratory feed pellets, and both male and female offspring at 1-63 wk of age were analyzed using a comprehensive behavioral test battery (n = 6-14 offspring/group and offspring in each group were derived from ≥3 independent litters).

Results: Both male and female offspring exposed in utero to the LA^high/ALA^low diet exhibited impaired social behaviors, including the lower number of contacts with novel mice in the social interaction test [diet, F_(1,15) = 9.807, P = 0.007, 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)], and also showed enhanced recognition memory in the object location test (diet, F_(1,36) = 6.779, P = 0.013, 2-way ANOVA) compared with offspring exposed in utero to the control diet. In addition, compared with sex-matched controls, female offspring displayed hyperactivity in the open field test (F_(1,36) = 6.097, P = 0.018, simple main effect analysis).

Conclusions: The maternal balance between dietary n-6 and n-3 PUFAs during pregnancy can have significant effects on the offspring's behaviors, lasting well into adulthood.

Background: Sarcopenia is an age-related, progressive, and systemic skeletal muscle disorder that can lead to numerous adverse outcomes. Animal studies have shown that sesame can enhance skeletal muscle blood flow and improve physical performance. However, no studies have yet explored the association between sesame consumption and the incidence of sarcopenia in the general population.

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the association between daily sesame consumption and the risk of sarcopenia in a cohort of Chinese elderly aged 60 y and over.

Methods: This cohort study was conducted in Tianjin, China, involving 3017 elderly participants (1270 men). Sesame consumption frequency was assessed using a validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Sarcopenia was defined according to the consensus of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association between daily sesame consumption and the risk of sarcopenia.

Results: After adjusting for potential confounders (age, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, marital status, educational level, personal history of diseases, depressive state, total energy intake, and dietary patterns), the multivariable hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval for sarcopenia among the elderly with different levels of daily sesame consumption were as follows: almost never consuming sesame (reference value), ≤1 time/wk: 1.06 (0.81, 1.39), and ≥2-3 times/wk: 0.62 (0.46, 0.84), respectively (P values <0.01).

Conclusions: This study indicates that daily sesame consumption in the elderly aged 60 y and over is associated with a reduced risk of sarcopenia. Further research is needed to explore the causal mechanisms underlying this association.

Background: Early postnatal life is a critical period of rapid growth in mammals, heavily reliant on adequate nutrition. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) during this window can lead to stunting and wasting, with lasting health consequences.

Objectives: This study developed a mouse model of juvenile PEM to assess the effects of refeeding with various diets and interventions on growth recovery, including probiotic supplementation and suboptimal refeeding diets. Outcomes included length and weight catch-up, organ weights, and glucose tolerance.

Methods: Juvenile male and female C57Bl/6J mice (N = 8 to 11/group) were fed a low-protein diet (LPD, 5% kcal from protein) starting at postnatal day 14 (P14) to which the pups and dams had access. Following weaning, mice were refed an optimal diet (27% kcal from protein) at different times (P28 to P56). Male mice received additional interventions, including supplementation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WJL (Lp^WJL) during refeeding or refeeding with a Western diet (WD), 15.3% kcal from protein, or a modified Western diet (MWD) 7.5% kcal from protein. Statistical analyses used analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and principal component analysis.

Results: Optimal refeeding restored growth in females (body weight in optimal-fed: 20.5 ± 0.3 g vs. 19.4 ± 0.6 g in P56-refed), but males showed persistent stunting (26.8 ± 0.7 g vs. 21.9 ± 0.9 g; P < 0.05). In males, Lp^WJL did not enhance growth recovery and exacerbated glucose intolerance in suboptimal refeeding groups. Males refed WD or MWD restored body length but showed impaired glucose metabolism, particularly in mice refed WD, with glycemia 30 min after glucose challenge reaching 20.4 ± 4.0 mM vs. 14.3 ± 3.0 mM in optimal-fed mice (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Sex-dependent differences in recovery from PEM were evident, with males showing incomplete growth recovery despite optimal refeeding. Suboptimal diets compensated for stunting but impaired glucose metabolism, and Lp^WJL did not improve growth outcomes.

Background: Low phosphorus (LP) diets perturb hepatic energy metabolism homeostasis in fish. However, the specific mechanisms in LP-induced hepatic energy metabolism disorders remain to be fully elucidated.

Objectives: This study sought to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of mitochondria involved in LP-induced energy metabolism disorders.

Methods: Spotted seabass were fed diets with 0.72% (S-AP, control) or 0.36% (S-LP) available phosphorus for 10 wk. Drp1 was knocked down or protein kinase (PK) A was activated using 8Br-cAMP (5 μM, a PKA activator) in spotted seabass hepatocytes under LP medium. Zebrafish were fed Z-LP diets (0.30% available phosphorus) containing Mdivi-1 (5 mg/kg, a Drp1 inhibitor) or 8Br-cAMP (0.5 mg/kg) for 6 wk. Biochemical and molecular parameters, along with transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence, were used to assess hepatic glycolipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, and morphology.

Results: Spotted seabass fed S-LP diets showed reduced ATP (52%) and cAMP (52%) concentrations, along with reduced Drp1 (s582) (38%) and PKA (61%) phosphorylation concentrations in the liver compared with those fed S-AP diets (P < 0.05). Drp1 knockdown elevated ATP concentrations (1.99-fold), decreased mitochondrial DRP1 protein amounts (45%), and increased mitochondrial aspect ratio (1.82-fold) in LP-treated hepatocytes (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 8Br-cAMP-treated hepatocytes exhibited higher PKA phosphorylation (2.85-fold), ATP concentrations (1.60-fold), and mitochondrial aspect ratio (2.00-fold), along with decreased mitochondrial DRP1 protein concentrations (29%) under LP medium (P < 0.05). However, mutating s582 to alanine mimic Drp1 dephosphorylation decreased ATP concentrations (63%) and mitochondrial aspect ratio (53%) in 8Br-cAMP-treated hepatocytes (P < 0.05). In addition, zebrafish fed Z-LP diets containing Mdivi-1 or 8Br-cAMP had higher ATP concentrations (3.44-fold or 1.98-fold) than those fed Z-LP diets (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: These findings provide a potential mechanistic elucidation for LP-induced energy metabolism disorders through the cAMP/PKA/Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission signaling pathway.

Background: Double-fortified salt (DFS; iron, iodine) improved iron status in randomized trials and was incorporated into India's social safety net programs, suggesting opportunities to address other micronutrient deficiencies.

Objectives: To evaluate the acceptability of quadruple-fortified salt (QFS; iron, iodine, folic acid, and vitamin B₁₂) in women and their households, using a randomized crossover trial design and triangle tests.

Methods: Women 18-49 y (n = 77) and their households were randomly assigned to receive QFS or DFS in a randomized crossover design over a 3-wk period (week 1: QFS/DFS, week 2: iodized salt, week 3: DFS/QFS). Each week, participants completed a 9-point hedonic questionnaire (1 = dislike extremely to 9 = like extremely) to evaluate 5 sensory domains (color, odor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability) of the intervention, and the remaining salt was weighed using a digital scale. Triangle tests were conducted among women to evaluate sensory discrimination of salt consumed in rice dishes prepared using standardized recipes. Mixed models were used to examine hedonic ratings and salt use; salt type, sequence, and period were included as fixed effects, and household was included as a random effect. Binomial tests were used to evaluate sensory discrimination of salt type in triangle tests.

Results: Mean hedonic ratings for most of the 5 sensory domains were ≥7 (like moderately) and did not differ by salt type [overall acceptability mean (SD): QFS: 7.8 (0.7) compared with DFS: 7.7 (1.2); P = 0.68]. Household salt use (weighed) did not differ by salt type. During the 3-wk intervention period, weighed salt use and hedonic ratings significantly increased, indicating a period effect independent of salt type or sequence. In triangle tests, rice samples prepared with QFS, DFS, or iodized salt were not distinguishable.

Conclusions: Acceptability of QFS was high, based on individual hedonic ratings and weighed household salt use. Rice dishes prepared with DFS, QFS, and iodized salt were not distinguishable. Findings informed the design of a randomized trial of QFS in this population. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03853304 and CTRI/2024/04/066208.

Background: Dietary intake has been suggested to be associated with the oral microbiome, but no study has examined the association between overall diet quality and the oral microbiome.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) and the diversity and composition of the oral microbiome among participants in the Buffalo Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease (OsteoPerio) Study.

Methods: In 1175 postmenopausal women (mean age: 67 ± 7.0 y), we estimated the HEI-2020 scores for each woman from a food frequency questionnaire administered from 1997 to 2000. Bacterial DNA was extracted from subgingival plaque samples and analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The alpha-diversity (within-sample diversity) and β-diversity (between-sample diversity) across HEI-2020 quartiles were examined using analysis of covariance and permutational multivariate analysis of variance, respectively. The associations between the HEI-2020 score and the relative abundance of microbial taxa were examined by linear regression models. The analyses were further conducted for individual components of the HEI-2020.

Results: No statistically significant associations were observed between the HEI-2020 scores and alpha- or beta-diversity. However, greater consumption of seafood, plant proteins, and total protein and lower consumption of added sugars were positively associated with alpha-diversity. After we applied a false detection rate (FDR) correction, higher HEI-2020 scores were significantly associated with decreased abundance of Lautropia, Streptococcus gordonii, Cardiobacterium valvarum, and Cardiobacterium hominis, and increased abundance of Selenomonas sp. oral taxon 133 and Selenomonas dianae (FDR-adjusted P values < 0.10). Additionally, 28 other taxa were identified as being associated with HEI-2020 components.

Conclusions: Although the HEI-2020 was associated with the composition, but not the diversity, of the oral microbiome, individual HEI-2020 components were associated with both its diversity and composition. Specific dietary components may have more impact on the diversity and composition of oral microbiome than overall diet quality assessed by the HEI-2020.

Background: Epidemiologic evidence linking blood pressure (BP) and body weight-lowering effects with fruit and vegetable consumption mostly relies on self-reported dietary assessment prone to misreport and under- or overestimation of relationships.

Objectives: We aimed to characterize objective 24-h urinary metabolites and a derived metabolite score associated with fruit and vegetable intake and assessed their associations with BP and BMI, with validation across cohorts.

Methods: We used untargeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR) of 2 timed repeated 24-h urine collections from free-living participants from the US (n = 2032) and the UK (n = 449) of the cross-sectional International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). We evaluated correlations between fruit and vegetable intake assessed by 24-h dietary recalls with 7100 ¹H NMR features, adjusted for confounders and multiple testing. We related identified metabolites and a metabolite score with BP and BMI using extensively adjusted multiple linear regression models.

Results: We characterized 11 ¹H NMR-derived 24-h urinary metabolites related to fruit and vegetable intake, reproducible across multiple 24-h urine collections of both cohorts. Proline betaine, citrate, N-methylproline, scyllo-inositol, 2-hydroxy-2-(4-methyl cyclohex-3-en-1-yl) propoxyglucuronide, and proline were associated with fruit intake, specifically with Rutaceae intake, whereas S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide and S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide metabolite were associated with Brassicaceae intake. The metabolite score, explaining 39.8% of fruit and vegetable intake, was inversely associated with systolic BP [-1.65 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.68, -0.62; P < 0.002] and BMI (-1.21 kg/m²; 95% CI: -1.62, -0.78; P < 0.0001). These associations were, to a large extent, explained by urinary citrate excretion.

Conclusions: We identified ¹H NMR-derived urinary metabolites associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, consistent and reproducible between urine collections and across populations. A higher fruit and vegetable-related metabolite score showed associations with lower systolic BP and BMI, mainly mediated by citrate, but would need confirmation in further studies.

Phytochemicals are nonnutritive substances found in plant foods that contribute significantly to the flavor and color of foods. These substances are usually classified as polyphenols, terpenes, sulfur-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, and others. Numerous studies over the last decades have demonstrated these substances play an immeasurable role in physiological regulation, health care, and disease prevention through their actions in antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antiaging, antivirus, anticancer, antithrombosis, lipid profile regulation, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, immunity regulation, and improvement of metabolic functions. This article reviews the chemistry and biochemistry of phytochemicals, their classification and chemical structure, occurrence and biosynthesis in plants, and biological activities and implications for human health and various diseases. The discussions are focused on the most recent important advances in these phytochemical researches. In addition, some future research directions of phytochemicals are set forth regarding dose-response, their mechanism and targets, interactions with gut microbiota, and impact on human health and different stages of chronic diseases.